Abstract:

Blended learning in higher education has been widely discussed at the level of individual courses, whereas fewer contributions have explored its implications at the level of entire degree programmes. When blended learning is adopted across a whole programme, the focus moves beyond the design of single teaching units and brings into view broader organizational issues, such as the coordination of teaching formats, the distribution of student workload, and the alignment between educational provision and the needs of specific student populations.

This contribution examines blended learning from a programme-level perspective, focusing on both the opportunities and the challenges involved in developing organizational models that are coherent, sustainable, and responsive to learners’ profiles. Particular attention is paid to the need to calibrate student workload in relation to spatial and temporal constraints, especially in contexts where flexibility and accessibility are essential conditions for participation. Within this framework, a number of organizational models are presented and discussed as possible responses to different educational needs and institutional settings.

The paper then turns to a specific Master’s degree programme, using concrete examples to show how programme-level choices can shape the overall learning experience. By shifting the focus from the individual course to the programme as a whole, the contribution seeks to highlight the relevance of blended learning not only as a teaching approach, but also as an organizational and pedagogical strategy for higher education programme design.

Keywords:

Blended learning, programme design, higher education, organizational models.